Of the many prospects we have been covering over the last several months, few have been as ready as Cameron Sandoval. Recently winning A1 Combat’s Bantamweight strap in March, he’s looked every bit the part of a consummate champion. He has the experience in droves, an undefeated record, and an exciting style as a high-output grappler. While he won his first three professional bouts by submission, the finish has been eluding him since, though he won all subsequent fights in dominant fashion. While the word grappler can have a negative, boring connotation to some, that doesn’t apply here. Sandoval is smothering, constantly hunting the takedown or advancing position, making him a joy to watch. At age 27, he is hitting his stride at the right time and possesses plenty of cage time at the amateur level, going 8-2, including a bout with Payton Talbott, which we will get into later. Sandoval made his amateur debut in 2018 and his professional debut in 2023. I like how he took his time and ensured his readiness rather than rushing in and getting burned too quickly. The extra time has paid dividends, as he has largely run through everyone he has faced as a pro. With high octane, relentless pressure, and intelligent striking aided by the takedown threat, you can’t go wrong with Cameron Sandoval.
As we all know, a grappler’s strengths are facilitated greatly if they are at least proficient in the striking department. I find Sandoval’s stand-up game to be crafty and creative, and it gives the opponent much to think about. For one, off the clinch or collar tie, he is CONSTANTLY looking for elbows over the top. Creating damage in these situations is essential, and short-range blows help create takedowns once the other man moves. I also love how Sandoval does not force things. He is strong on the ground, but he doesn’t relentlessly hunt what is not there. Against Geremy Escolta, where he won the A1 belt, he was phenomenally outclassing the then-undefeated fighter with incessant takedowns and chain wrestling. Yet, he alternated strategies with ground and pound, then went for a submission when Escolta was suitably softened up. That shows intelligence and maturity, and is a great trait to have. What’s more, he actually works on the ground, whether it’s passing guard, setting up submissions, etc. From an entertainment perspective, there should be no qualm.
In the clinch, Sandoval is particularly impressive at trips to initiate takedowns. Against Victor Santos in Sandoval’s fourth appearance, Santos grabbed a whizzer to help himself stay upright, but it still didn’t matter. On the feet, Sandoval executes the fundamentals well, perpetually circling and popping the jab to maintain distance control. He switches stances seamlessly when ripping combinations, stepping through to southpaw without missing a beat. This helps him naturally maintain pressure without having to reset. Against Santos, a credentialed Muay Thai specialist, Sandoval threw a right hand, then immediately stepped through to southpaw and initiated a takedown. His timing is impeccable when choosing to shoot, always waiting for the opponent to swing, then DUCKING to either obtain a body lock to trip or just shooting a double.
When choosing to initiate himself, he will punch his way in, duck inside, then repeat the same process. None of this is reinventing the wheel, but it is his fight IQ and decision-making of when and where to do this that is most noteworthy. Whether it is his stance switches or takedown setup, the opponent often does not have time to react properly to this war on all fronts. Sandoval is, at times, so supreme that I have even heard commentators refer to his fights as cruise control.
Last but not least, Sandoval has a particularly interesting name on his resume at the amateur level, that being Payton Talbott, who is currently one of the UFC’s brightest up-and-comers. While this was many years ago, in 2019, it is interesting to see how far both men have come. While Sandoval did end up losing this bout for the King Of The Cage Amateur Bantamweight title, he had plenty of solid moments and characteristics he carries to this day. Fast jabs, good ringcraft and footwork, and trips backwards. A decent portion of this bout took place in the clinch, and Sandoval showed early signs of talent in this position with how he landed knees and elbows. An entertaining scrap that Sandoval has clearly improved immeasurably from.
Sandoval will be defending his newly acquired A1 championship belt against the 6-1 Bobby Seronio III on June 27th. Should he win, and I have utmost confidence that he will, it is either time to hunt for another belt on the regional scene or punch a ticket to the Contender Series. This is not a man who I believe needs more experience to qualify; he has been in the game since 2018, with plenty of amateur fights, an undefeated record, and a smart, domineering style. At his age, he will soon enter his prime, and this is the perfect time to see what he is really made of. While a finish against Seronio III would help his case, he needs a real challenge, as he ran through his last opponent to win the belt. Sandoval is fun to watch regardless of how he wins, and has pretty much every box checked on his resume. What more is there to wait for?
